Officers Nab Copper Wire Suspects

Los Angeles: Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers and Department of Water and Power (DWP) Security officers arrested two copper wire suspects in Northridge.

On Monday, July 21, 2008 at about 12:40 a.m., a DWP security officer was monitoring the security camera system at Northridge District Headquarters at 18718 Rayen Street. Through the monitors, he saw two men identified as Zane Jackman, 41, and Brandon Sewell, 22, throwing tools into the wire spool area.

Both suspects fled the scene and returned to the location. Officers observed one of the suspects jump the fence and the other stood as a lookout. The first suspect used the tools that were thrown over the fence to cut approximately 20 feet of insulated copper wire.

Los Angeles police officers were dispatched to the location to aid the DWP security officers. The suspect inside began to throw over the 20 foot wire and tossed additional wire over to the other suspect. A perimeter was established and the lookout suspect was taken into custody.

Moments later, authorities were able to find the other suspect, who attempted to hide inside the DWP facility. He was taken into custody and the property was recovered.

The suspects will be charged with grand theft and are being held on a $20,000 bail.

For more information regarding this case, call DWP Captain Rick Frias at 213-367-0352 or Devonshire Detective John Guerrero at 818-832-1760. After hours and on weekends, call may be directed to a 24-hour, toll-free number at the Detective Information Desk at 1-877-LAWFULL (1-877-529-3855).